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kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)
Mon Mar 24, 2014, 04:57 PM Mar 2014

How Fred Phelps got himself disbarred:

From Wikipedia:

"A formal complaint was filed against Phelps on November 8, 1977, by the Kansas State Board of Law Examiners for his conduct during a lawsuit against a court reporter named Carolene Brady. Brady had failed to have a court transcript ready for Phelps on the day he asked for it; though it did not affect the outcome of the case for which Phelps had requested the transcript, Phelps still requested $22,000 in damages from her.[21][22] In the ensuing trial, Phelps called Brady to the stand, declared her a hostile witness, and then cross-examined her for nearly a week, during which he accused her of being a "slut", tried to introduce testimony from former boyfriends whom Phelps wanted to subpoena, and accused her of a variety of perverse sexual acts, ultimately reducing her to tears on the stand.[21][22] Phelps lost the case; according to the Kansas Supreme Court:
The trial became an exhibition of a personal vendetta by Phelps against Carolene Brady. His examination was replete with repetition, badgering, innuendo, belligerence, irrelevant and immaterial matter, evidencing only a desire to hurt and destroy the defendant. The jury verdict didn't stop the onslaught of Phelps. He was not satisfied with the hurt, pain, and damage he had visited on Carolene Brady.[21][22]

"In an appeal, Phelps prepared affidavits swearing to the court that he had eight witnesses whose testimony would convince the court to rule in his favor. Brady, in turn, obtained sworn, signed affidavits from the eight people in question, all of whom said that Phelps had never contacted them and that they had no reason to testify against Brady. Phelps was found to have made "false statements in violation of DR 7–102(A)(5)".[21][22]
On July 20, 1979, Phelps was permanently disbarred from practicing law in the state of Kansas,[21][22] though he continued to practice in Federal courts.
In 1985, nine Federal judges filed a disciplinary complaint against Phelps and five of his children, alleging false accusations against the judges. In 1989, the complaint was settled; Phelps agreed to stop practicing law in Federal court permanently, and two of his children were suspended for periods of six months, and one year, respectively.[23]"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a little tidbit in case anybody was having the slightest little bit of charitable thought about him.

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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How Fred Phelps got himself disbarred: (Original Post) kestrel91316 Mar 2014 OP
Phelps was a nutcase Gothmog Mar 2014 #1
Sounds like he suffered from a mental health issue Sienna86 Mar 2014 #2
Unquestionable. Enthusiast Mar 2014 #7
He had mental health issues but there's no proof Fred Phelps contracted syphilis from goats Brother Buzz Mar 2014 #9
This was clearly a man with a derailed mind .... etherealtruth Mar 2014 #3
OK, Let the dead rest in peace. gerogie2 Mar 2014 #4
He deserves the same courtesy he gave other dead people. hobbit709 Mar 2014 #8
the dead rest in peace regardless of what may or may not be said of them... LanternWaste Mar 2014 #10
Eff anybody who has sympathy for this man. kestrel91316 Mar 2014 #11
Is he in the ground yet? geomon666 Mar 2014 #5
I was a court reporter for 20 years. Manifestor_of_Light Mar 2014 #6

Sienna86

(2,149 posts)
2. Sounds like he suffered from a mental health issue
Mon Mar 24, 2014, 09:39 PM
Mar 2014

He still had free will to do good or bad in this world, but I wonder what a study of mental health history in his family would show.

Brother Buzz

(36,419 posts)
9. He had mental health issues but there's no proof Fred Phelps contracted syphilis from goats
Tue Mar 25, 2014, 02:30 PM
Mar 2014
So stop saying that!

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
10. the dead rest in peace regardless of what may or may not be said of them...
Tue Mar 25, 2014, 02:32 PM
Mar 2014

I'm pretty sure the dead rest in peace regardless of what may or may not be said of them...

geomon666

(7,512 posts)
5. Is he in the ground yet?
Mon Mar 24, 2014, 10:53 PM
Mar 2014

I need to take a leak. Actually, if you could just open the casket, that'll be fine.

 

Manifestor_of_Light

(21,046 posts)
6. I was a court reporter for 20 years.
Mon Mar 24, 2014, 10:56 PM
Mar 2014

I sometimes ran into lawyers who wanted to ruin me by complaining to the state board and trying to get my state license taken away. Usually they wanted a free transcript or thought I was being unprofessional. They just had to have somebody to attack.

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